VCS

Flange Isolation System

High-Reliability Flange Seal for Electrical

Isolation and Sealing in Very Critical Service

ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS

INTRODUCTION
The GPT VCS is a Very Critical Service system designed for electrical flange isolation and general sealing applications. This seal is suitable for use in raised-face, flat-face and RTJ flanges in all pressure classes including API
10,000 psi service. In addition to its superior sealing characteristics and excellent dielectric properties, the VCS is
ideal for isolating flanges made from dissimilar metals thus mitigating galvanic corrosion and for mitigating localized
flange face corrosion.
The VCS was originally designed to provide a reliable sealing solution for electrical isolation of critical flanges, particularly where phenolic ring gaskets had been failing in RTJ flanges. The system was successfully developed and
tested by a major oil and gas company prior to initial service approval. After demonstrating the VCS to be superior
to all competing products for sealing and isolating, the VCS was placed in operational service in 1981. Since then,
hundreds of thousands of VCS kits have been placed into service throughout the world. Current users include virtually every international oil and gas company operating in every major worldwide market.

VCS Primary Features

and Benefits Include:
High-Reliability sealing and isolating
system for critical service
Withstands corrosive environments
including high CO2, H2S and produced water
Outstanding electrical isolation
properties for cathodic protection
Protects flange faces from mediainduced corrosion and flow-induced
erosion
Mitigates galvanic corrosion in
dissimilar metal flange joints
Decreases flange/bolt makeup
stresses
Easy installation and removal
Reusable seal retainer and seals
No phenolic or polypropylene
materials used

VCS

Flange Seal

VCS DESIGN
The unique design of the VCS system incorporates high-strength, glass-reinforced
epoxy laminate bonded to a stainless steel core. This provides the strength of a
traditional metallic seal while maintaining complete electrical isolation between the
flange faces. Seal grooves are machined through the laminate isolating material and
into the stainless steel core. This provides a strong base for the seal to seat into and
breaks the potential leak/weep path that is inherent in glass laminate materials.
Spring-energized Teflon internal face seals are installed in the dovetail-shaped
seal grooves provide pressure-activated sealing that sets the VCS apart from other
less reliable sealing solutions. Other seal configurations are also available such as
Viton, Nitrile or Silicon.

ELECTRICAL ISOLATION
In addition to its superior sealing characteristics, the GPT VCS distinguishes itself by providing electrical flange isolation
in a high-strength sealing mechanism. The VCS significantly decreases electrical potential between two flange faces by
providing a non-conducting, non-metallic interface. This effectively eliminates corrosion resulting from dissimilar metals
contact or ground current induced corrosion of metal piping components. When used with isolating sleeves and
washers, the VCS is particularly effective in breaking electrical conductivity in piping systems with cathodic protection
systems.
What makes the VCS unique among isolating gaskets is its strength and durability. Traditional isolating gaskets have been
fragile and prone to failure because they are often made from brittle, non-metallic materials (e.g. phenolic resin) and are not
capable of withstanding imperfect installation practices. The VCSs steel
core and patented construction enables the seal to withstand far more
system pressure, pressure cycling, bending moments, over-torquing
and overall abuse than conventional isolating gaskets with zero risk of
product failure.

SEALING CHARACTERISTICS
The primary job that any gasket must perform is to seal the pressure
differential between the internal and external environment. The VCS
performs this task through the use of its spring-energized, pressureactivated sealing elements. At low system pressure, the spring acts
to deflect the lips of the seal, thus enabling low pressure sealing. As
the pressure increases and comes in direct contact with the sealing
element, the system pressure deflects the seal lips and more sealing force is applied against the flanges. This high pressure sealing is
accomplished while maintaining complete electrical flange isolation.
This high-reliability sealing system makes the GPT VCS the seal to use
when failure cannot be tolerated.
The fact that the VCS uses pressure-activated sealing elements which
are located inboard of the ring groove on RTJ flanges has the additional benefit of allowing the VCS to seal mismatched RTJ to raised-face
or flat-face flanges. This feature is very useful when replacing valves
using stock inventory that may have a different flange face than the
mating flanges.

VCS Isolating Kit Installed in Mismatched Flanges

VCS Isolation System Advantages and Benefits

Extreme high-reliability sealing and isolating solution for all critical services

Seals and insulates at all pressures up through ANSI 2500 class and API 15000 psi service
Withstands severe service conditions including large bending moments, vibration, temperature
and pressure cycling
Designed to withstand corrosive environments, including high concentrations of CO2, H2S,
produced water, etc.
Outstanding isolation properties for cathodic protection
Pressure-activated seals provide high confidence sealing and eliminate costly leaks
Seal is sized to the bore to protect flange faces from media-induced corrosion and flow-induced erosion
Prevents turbulent flow at flanged connections
Mitigates galvanic corrosion in dissimilar metal flanges
High-strength laminate material resists failure due to excess compression (e.g. over tightening bolts)
Available to match any flange specification (ANSI, API, MSSP, BS, DIN, AS, others)

Can mate mismatched RTJ with raised-face flanges

Easy installation, make up and removal:
Flanges do not have to be spread as with ring gaskets
The VCS easily slips into place

Sealing system results in low required bolt loads

Less make up force is required resulting in less flange and bolt stress

VCS is self-aligning and centering, quick to install; no special tools are required

Maintenance-free, corrosion-resistant design is resistant to deforming under load, which makes

the gasket reusable

Represented by:

GPT World Headquarters

4990 Iris St. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 USA
TEL: 303-988-1242 FAX: 303-988-1922

6455 Clara Rd Suite300 Houston, TX 77041 USA

TEL: 713-747-6948 FAX: 713-747-6029

EMAIL: sales@pikotek.com www.psipikotek.com